By Chris Reed, Brand Catalyst & Writer
TalentRevolution.net
One of my many flaws is that I have a tendency to react negatively to so-called authority…especially when that authority treads on my beliefs. Perhaps I should point out that, for me, authority doesn’t always manifest itself in the form of an actual person. In my mind, authority represents anything that seems to be bigger than me: the economy, searching for a job, or the myth that everyone in Kentucky has a country accent.
At its heart, authority provides one of two things:
1. Submission.
2. Inspiration.
The part about submission is a no-brainer. I’m more interested in the inspiration part of it. Being a Gen Xer that never quite grew out of his rebellious nature, I’ve recently become more aware of the appearance made by an Inspired Rebel anytime I get the impression I’m being told, “You can’t do that.”
Really? Watch me.
On the surface, the initial response is a bit childish (especially if accompanied by a tantrum) and it’s often perceived that way. In 2006, I decided to go back to school and finish my degree. I knew there was much work to be done, especially since I would be changing my major from what it had been 10 years earlier. I wanted to finish as quickly as possible and, from my calculations with the course catalog, I determined I could do it in 18 months. Please note that the course catalog does not account for red tape and small institutional thinkers.
After jumping through hoops for two days, I finally managed to secure an appointment with an advisor. I told him what my plans were and how they were going to be accomplished. By the way, it was a completely reasonable plan.
Advisor: “This isn’t possible.”
Inspired Rebel: “Ummm, yes it is. It’s right there. On paper.”
Advisor: “You don’t understand.”
Inspired Rebel: “You’re right about that.”
Advisor: “You’re being too ambitious.”
Inspired Rebel: “You mean there are too many unnecessary administrative requirements that have absolutely nothing to do with the actual coursework.”
Advisor: “It simply isn’t possible.”
Inspired Rebel: (summoning the “I’ll show you” facial expression)
Advisor: “You need…”
Inspired Rebel: (don’t say what I think you’re going to say)
Advisor: “to be…”
Inspired Rebel: (he’s going to say it)
Advisor: “patient.”
I walked out of that office even more inspired and completed my degree in 18 months.
Using authority for inspiration is a beautiful thing. And for my fellow Inspired Rebels out there, there has never been a more generous supply of authority…whether symbolic or tangible. Some of the greatest achievements in history have been inspired to reality because authority said they were impossible.
We all have multiple sources of inspiration, and having awareness for those sources is incredibly important during times like these. Seek out those sources and use them.
This is no time to be submissive. It’s time to be inspired. Y’all.
Chris Reed is a Brand Catalyst and Writer for www.talentrevolution.net. He can be contacted via Twitter via @c_reed.
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33 Comments
The give and take between patience and chutzpah is a great tension that everyone needs to recognize and then lean towards chutzpah when possible… this story is a great illustration of this tension. Thanks for sharing.
Gotta say, a lot of rebels i know are Gen Xers (including myself). of course there exceptions–i know rebels who are older or younger and not all Gen Xers are rebels, but man, so many of us just don't buy what The Man is selling…whoever “The Man” may be at the moment. Some of it is we were IMO the first generation who could mature without becoming completely old (if that makes any sense). Plus as we watch our parents' retirement plans go up in smoke, we once again are reminded that no company or employer has any obligation or inclination to be loyal to us, and we may be the first generation who really figured that out.
The give and take between patience and chutzpah is a great tension that everyone needs to recognize and then lean towards chutzpah when possible… this story is a great illustration of this tension. Thanks for sharing.
Gotta say, a lot of rebels i know are Gen Xers (including myself). of course there exceptions–i know rebels who are older or younger and not all Gen Xers are rebels, but man, so many of us just don't buy what The Man is selling…whoever “The Man” may be at the moment. Some of it is we were IMO the first generation who could mature without becoming completely old (if that makes any sense). Plus as we watch our parents' retirement plans go up in smoke, we once again are reminded that no company or employer has any obligation or inclination to be loyal to us, and we may be the first generation who really figured that out.
The give and take between patience and chutzpah is a great tension that everyone needs to recognize and then lean towards chutzpah when possible… this story is a great illustration of this tension. Thanks for sharing.
Gotta say, a lot of rebels i know are Gen Xers (including myself). of course there exceptions–i know rebels who are older or younger and not all Gen Xers are rebels, but man, so many of us just don't buy what The Man is selling…whoever “The Man” may be at the moment. Some of it is we were IMO the first generation who could mature without becoming completely old (if that makes any sense). Plus as we watch our parents' retirement plans go up in smoke, we once again are reminded that no company or employer has any obligation or inclination to be loyal to us, and we may be the first generation who really figured that out.
I'm inspired by knowledge and knowledge trumps authority any day. Knowledge is power!
You may have just asked yourself: “Wait, aren't power and authority the same?” Well I don't believe they are the same at all. Yes, they are related but that doesn't mean they are equal.
Power means you have the talent to achieve a goal where authority just gives you the right or validation to exercise power. But that doesn't necessarily mean you have power.
Does that make sense?
First off I have to say that I am sitting in the exact same seat as you were. Coming into freshman year I had my heart set on being a physical therapist. Nothing could stop my motivation to be the best PT out there…until I realized this wasn't for me.Then I changed my major at the end of freshman year, thinking that Environmental Conservation was right up my ally….wrong again.. So by the second semester of sophomore year I had changed my major AGAIN to Wildlife Ecology.. Finally, after 3 years and 3 majors I think I might have a small idea about what I want to do. Like you, I'm now in a struggle to finish off all of my credits in a very limited amount of time. My advisor told me I would need a 5th year to complete school and I wasn't having any of that. So after a summer class and extra credits added next semester, it looks like I will graduate on time. Your advice to never submit and find inspiration within your challenges are great motivators.
One question though. You never actually mentioned if you completed the degree in 18 months. Are you still in progress?
Brendan, thanks so much for sharing your story…I truly appreciate the comments! I actually did mention that I completed the degree in 18 months :) Guess I should have drawn more attention to it. My bad!
My path was similar to the one you are currently pursuing. My last two “traditional” semesters consisted of 18 credits each, and I also completed one class during the Christmas break along with 12 more credits during the Summer semester. It was a long haul but completely worth it.
I wish you the best of luck!
Awesome story Chris! I think that it is amazing how you have taken criticism from authority and turned it into inspiration. I have never been much of the rebel, but your story was in fact very inspirational to myself. I will keep your story in mind when I am faced with criticism in the workplace. Who knows maybe I will even become rebellious!
Katrina, I can't even begin to tell you how much it means to me to know that you were inspired. Thank you for sharing!
And when that rebel does appear, be sure to let it show in your inspiration and execution…and not so much in your initial reaction to authority, especially if it's in the workplace. Some of your bosses might not fully understand this abstract concept :) Be sure to share when it happens. I would love to hear the story.
I’m inspired by knowledge and knowledge trumps authority any day. Knowledge is power!
You may have just asked yourself: “Wait, aren’t power and authority the same?” Well I don’t believe they are the same at all. Yes, they are related but that doesn’t mean they are equal.
Power means you have the talent to achieve a goal where authority just gives you the right or validation to exercise power. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have power.
Does that make sense?
Gary, thank you for posting your thoughts on this. I think I understand what you're saying in contrasting power and authority. I will say this though: I believe everyone has their own personal definitions of certain things in life. My definition of authority (and the inspiration I get from it) will certainly differ from even my closest friends.
I will add one more thing, although it may be entirely off-base from your idea. Based on my first instinct, I would suggest that a person doesn't necessarily need authority to exercise their power/talent.
Very cool post! I think you're absolutely right, authority can be used as inspiration or you can let it bend you out of shape. I prefer the former, personally. I've even had a few experiences where my single motivation for reaching a certain goal was the sheer need to rebel against authority. The great thing, though, is that I learned and gained so much more from those experiences than the ability to say, “I told you I could do it.”
On a similar vein, I see this Inspired Rebellion character moving a lot of younger people (including me) toward entrepreneurship. Putting up with a boss who tells you what to do instead of working with you is quickly going out of style. I think those generations would be more 'inspired' to twork for 'The Man' if he stopped dictating and started collaborating.
Motivation is out. Inspiration is in.
The “Inspired Rebel” has moved millions of people to entrepreneurship and out of the “corporate” lifestyle. I've been fortunate to have worked in a variety of different atmospheres…from the unmatched culture of Disney, to the hard work and freedom of a small niche business, to the occasionally rigid mindset of a corporate office, and now to an innovative and inspiring start-up. Each of them have been (and continue to be) a learning experience, but you mentioned one of the primary reasons for success among them all: collaboration.
Teresa, I totally agree and, btw, thank you!
Great article Chris! I found myself laughing at your conversation with the advisor because I have had similar conversations with my advisor that have gone sour. However, it is great that you took your advisors criticism and turned it into inspiration. Not many people like to be told 'NO” but if you know how to turn this into inspiration you can succeed.
Thanks for the motivation!
Michaela, thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I think that way too many people miss out when they hear the word “No,” simply voice their displeasure to someone, and don't take it any further. We have all done it at some point but when we take it to that next step…finding the inspiration and then executing…we get to experience those personal and professional achievements.
Using authority as inspiration is a great motivator. It's always a satisfying feeling when you can prove someone wrong; not necessarily to rub it in thier face, but instead to show them that you have the capability to do something that they thought was “impossible”.
Chris, has there been a time in your professional career when your “rebellious nature” has affected you negatively?
Andrew, first of all, thanks for the comments!
To answer your question, let me first say that my “rebellious nature” is really more internal than external. I've never made it a practice of being openly insubordinate, unless you count the end results of something that was said to be impossible. Everyone has their off-days of course, and there have been a couple of times during neverending meetings when I wish I had chosen to remain quiet. However, I can't say that any of those times ever had any long-term negative effect on my career. Of course, that was before I wrote this article for all the world to see :)
Maybe I've just been fortunate to work with some amazing people, but it's been my experience that the people who hire you truly want to hear your opinion…especially when it's given with tact, reason, passion, and good intentions for the entire company.
Nice article of perseverance, Chris! I hope your new degree has opened the doors you were hoping for! Best of luck with your career goals!
Thanks Mark! I truly appreciate your kind words…
Awesome story, Chris.
This article on authority makes me think about the possible negative/positive influences of power in the workplace.
It’s often assumed employees are the ones who must serve managers. Well I can’t help but look at it from a different angle and believe managers are better off serving employees:
“Your employees or subordinates look to you for care and guidance quite analogously as children perceive the parent, guardian or teacher.” (mdpme.com)
Sometimes when a person is put into a management position, she/he does not understand how to properly use their authority right from the get-go. Instead, an inexperienced manager (and sometimes experienced) will simply “tell employees what to do” when the manager and employee should be working together to complete a task. This is unfortunate because when something goes wrong, managers often look to blame the employees when in fact they should really be looking in the mirror:
“The employee who fails probably lacks a trainer who trains.” (mdpme.com)
Greg, thanks for commenting and making these great additions to the post! Some of the best bosses I've ever had are the ones that make you feel as if you are truly a co-worker rather than a subordinate. On a slightly different note, I believe that leadership in the modern workplace is beginning to see (or needs to quickly realize) a shift in employees responding better to inspiration rather than motivation.
Chris, awesome article. I do not know many people who would go against what their advisor tells them and also being able to prove them wrong in doing so. Your determination really is inspiring. I think this story not only goes for school but any achievement or goal in life. It is one thing to truly want something as bad as you wanted to complete your degree in 18 months, but something totally different to go out there and actually do it!
John, thanks! I suppose I kind of give advisors a bad rap in this article, and I should point out that there are some advisors who are great at what they do (I've been fortunate to know a couple). I can certainly understand how tedious their jobs must be at times but, with that being said, I also believe that they can be overly focused on numbers and requirements rather than the individual person. All I knew at the time was that I wasn't going to be denied…especially when I knew it was possible.
I get the greatest satisfaction not only from a task done well, but from a task that was previously thought to be impossible.
Great post, Chris.
Especially when *you* knew it was possible. I completely agree…thanks Ben!
Living in a country based on rebellion to establishment, I think that it is important to celebrate both individual and public achievements, big or small, because the message rings true in any situation:
You should always question authority.
Granted that everyone deserves equal opportunity, I don't think that should mean that everyone has to take the same route to get it. I have always been a fan of the unconventional, and anyone who has ever met me will agree to that, but since when has marching to the beat of a different drum been seen as something that needs to be stamped out? (Especially in today's world where college degrees are a dime a dozen)
So anyways, celebrate your inner freak/ rebellious tendencies, take the words “NO” and “CAN'T” out of your vocabulary, and find the beat the makes you move.
Whatever it takes to get the proverbial fire lit underneath your feet right?
Exactly…become aware of what sparks the fire inside of you and use it to your advantage. If it's authority, simply explore the other possibilities and look beyond the world they say exists. That's where true innovation takes place. Brian, thanks for the comments!
Have you ever had that repetition of a congratulatory line in your head all day saying “good job, you're doing well”? Me neither, I only get that repeated voice ALL DAY saying, “you won't be able to do that”. that ringing, that annoying birdie on my shoulder must be that inspiration! nice article Chris
Anthony, thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I like the idea you present…gotta turn that “annoying birdie” into a songbird of inspiration and drive. Cheesy? Maybe. Relevant? Completely.
Hey Chris, thanks for the inspirational words. I definitely relate to the mixed feelings of resentment/discouragement/rebellion when you run into someone who says “NO”. In a way, I think i've come to appreciate the negative feedback because it drives me that much more to reach my goal. It certainly makes the victory taste much sweeter!
Shannon, thank you for the comments! You are definitely right…negative feedback is such a powerful tool for us to use when we are aware of the inspiration it provides. I know that when I achieve those victories, big or small, I almost feel like thanking the person who said, “You can't do that.”